How to Cope with Hayfever
You might think that there couldn’t possibly be any down side to Spring & Summer and for the most part, you would be right. Who doesn’t feel pure joy at long light evenings and the feeling of the warm sun on your skin? We have craved those beautiful golden days throughout the winter so surely, we deserve to enjoy them…right? Well for approximately 20% of the population there is one thing can seriously dampen the beauty of the season much more than a rainy day. In one word. Hay fever.
Hay fever is categorized as a common allergy that affects an estimated 1 in 5 people at some point in their life. For many this can be years of suffering, while others notice that their hay fever improves/worsens over time. It is an allergic reaction to pollen that is aggravated when the fine powder from plants, grass and trees is released into the atmosphere. It causes the throat, nose, eyes and sinuses to become inflamed and irritated, leading to a whole host of symptoms, ranging from mildly irritating to debilitating, including:
-Runny nose.
-Sneezing.
-Watery and/or itchy eyes.
-Coughing.
-Fatigue.
For a lot of hay fever sufferers, it can be an extremely infuriating thing to go through on a daily basis- especially when pollen is active from March all the way to September. In severe cases hay fever can deeply impact people’s day-to-day lives. Affecting everything from work and socialising to even the most basic day-to-day activities. Not only that, continuous symptoms of hay fever can also lead to further complications such as recurrent sinusitis, asthma and ear infections. So, with all of this in mind, what can we actually do to relieve the effects of hay fever and be able to enjoy the summer ahead.
Whether your hay fever is severe or not, we would always advise that your first port of call be a medical professional. If you are concerned about the severity of your hay fever, talking to your GP can help you to figure out the best cause of treatment. Likewise, anti-histamines can be bought over the counter but if you are not sure which ones are best for you, then speaking to a pharmacist can point you in the right direction. They can also advise you on nasal sprays and eye-drops to ease some of the negative symptoms of hay fever.
While we are not medical practitioners, we are in many cases fellow hay fever sufferers and can help spread the word about the best alternative things outside of medicine that you can do to help stop that pesky pollen from stealing away your best summer yet.
Common advice often suggests that you should avoid as much outdoor exposure (particularly in the morning and evening) as possible to reduce the risk of a hay fever attack. Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to lock yourself away all summer because, why would anyone want to miss out on all the fun of summer? Understandably, that’s not healthy for anyone either. While you have to go about your life, and therefore come into contact with pollen when out and about, one incredibly important thing you can do is to ensure that your home is your clean, pollen-free space. Simple things like making sure the windows in your house are closed as much as possible during particularly high level hours, can stop pollen from infiltrating your home and causing a reaction later on. Likewise, each time you are exposed to pollen you can expect for it to attach to your clothes and hair. Washing your hair regularly and showering when you get home can therefore help stop the pollen from subsequently causing a reaction when you are at home. Things like washing your bed sheets and clothes regularly, running the vacuum around your house often and de-dusting your house are also small things we as hay fever sufferers can do to reduce the allergens from affecting us.
Air purifiers are even a great at-home tool and worth investing in if you suffer with allergies- both seasonal and other allergies that come from pets, dust and more. They work by filtering harmful particles within your home, including pollen and dust. While they are not the complete answer to your hay fever and allergies, when used alongside regular house cleaning, they can help to improve the air quality.
Another way of relieving your hay fever might just include a bit of forward planning. Like checking the weather before we leave the house, we can also check the pollen count each day during the season. Useful services like the Met Office’s pollen report, show the levels of pollen in the atmosphere each day. Like your trusty umbrella, you can then take the necessary precautions to shelter yourself as much as possible from these allergens. For example, wearing sunglasses when out and about can help those who get irritated or watery eyes from hay fever.
There are so many other techniques that you could try to conquer hay fever. From eating spicy food to applying Vaseline around your nostrils, finding what works best for you is a matter of trial and error. And if you are still suffering, seeking medical advice is always the best option.
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